This invention relates to a thin-profile disk drive for use in recording and reproducing information to and from a flexible disk (FD) as a magnetic recording medium.
As well known, a flexible disk drive (FDD) is for recording and reproducing information to and from a flexible magnetic disk as a magnetic recording medium. The magnetic disk is contained in a plastic case. A combination of the magnetic disk and the plastic case is generally called a disk cartridge.
Such a disk drive comprises a main frame and a cover attached opposite to the main frame. In order to recording or reproducing the information, the disk cartridge is set or inserted between the main frame and the cover and held on a disk table provided in the disk drive. The disk table has a rotation shaft in the manner such that the center of the magnetic disk is coincident with the rotation shaft of the disk table.
The disk table is supported on a main frame is driven and rotated by a spindle motor which is mounted on a motor frame. The spindle motor is for rotating the magnetic disk included in the disk cartridge. The disk drive further comprises a pair of magnetic heads, i.e., upper and lower magnetic heads, for reading/writing data to/from the magnetic disk in the disk cartridge. The upper magnetic head is supported by a head assembly at its end. The head assembly is located on a rear side of the disk drive and comprises upper and lower head supporting members supporting the upper and the lower magnetic heads, respectively. The head assembly is disposed above a principal surface of the main frame and spaced from the main frame. The head assembly supports the upper magnetic head at its end so that the upper magnetic head is movable in a predetermined radial direction with respect to the magnetic disk.
The disk drive is often subjected to an external stress applied between the main frame and the cover. For example, when the disk drive is strongly held by a user's hand before the disk cartridge is inserted therein, at least one of the main frame and the cover is bent. As a result, it is assumed that the disk drive is deformed. The deformation of the disk drive or other components due to the external stress causes a displacement of the head assembly. When the disk cartridge is inserted into the disk drive in this condition, the magnetic heads may be damaged by the disk cartridge.